Does anyone have any information on SA not exporting dip and pack trophys because of the foot and mouth disease outbreak, that is what my outfitter has told me? He said the moratorium started in Jan. 2011 and is expected to last some time.

Business ExchangeBuzz up!DiggPrint Email .South Africa declared an infection zone for foot-and-mouth disease in part of KwaZulu-Natal province and will set up roadblocks to combat the spread of the illness.

The zone is in the province’s northeast, national Agriculture Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson said in an e-mailed statement today. KwaZulu-Natal is in eastern South Africa.

The country suspended all exports of cloven-hoofed animals and their meat on Feb. 28 after detecting a possible foot-and- mouth outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal. The disease also forced a halt to wool auctions on March 1. South Africa is the world’s second- largest exporter of the fiber for the textile market after Australia.

“We wish to reassure our trading partners and the domestic industry affected by the ban on exports and the movement of animals that we are mindful of the economic impact,” Joemat- Pettersson said in today’s statement.

Foot-and-mouth is a contagious viral disease that causes animals to develop a high fever, followed by blisters in their mouths and on their feet.

South African farmers earned 1.34 billion rand ($193 million) from wool last year. The country exports mainly unprocessed fiber, known as greasy wool. About 20 percent of South Africa’s wool is processed before export, and this is exempt from the export ban, Ona Viljoen, a spokeswoman for industry group Cape Wools SA, said March 1.

The country is almost halfway through its wool-selling season and has sold 620 million rand worth of the fiber, Viljoen said. Prices are up 36 percent this year.

Wool prices “have not yet reached their ceiling,” Absa Bank Ltd. said in a March 18 report. “The outbreak of foot and mouth disease may slow down” increasing prices, it said.

Lost venison exports may cost South Africa as much as 30 million rand, Joemat-Pettersson said Feb. 28.

Pretoria — Contrary to reports suggesting the spread of foot and mouth disease in Gauteng, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) has assured that there was no outbreak of the disease in the province.

DAFF said an intensive investigation, conducted by a team of experts from its provincial offices in KwaZulu-Natal, had revealed that animals were moved from Vryheid in KwaZulu-Natal to a feedlot in Gauteng.

The feedlot in Gauteng, whose identity could not be disclosed in terms of the Animal Diseases Act 35 of 1984, had since been placed under quarantine as a precautionary measure while the matter was being investigated further.

"Samples were also collected from the said feedlot and came back positive on serology, but negative on non-structural proteins (NSP) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - which means that the fragments of the virus cannot be found. This can be interpreted as an old infection, with no virus circulating," the department said.

Vryheid remains in the protection zone - an area which prevents diseased animals from coming into contact with healthy ones - as per the department's declaration. Also, samples collected in this area have tested negative for the disease.

"The department, together with the Gauteng Veterinary Authorities, has met up with the affected feedlot management and put up a control strategy in place to ensure that the rest of the animal population in the country is protected," said DAFF.

The owners of the farm were cooperating with the department, and the matter will be speedily resolved

Shipping African Trophies
Shipping African trophies is always a major concern for hunters. Many balk at the costs involved and the time it takes for the consignment to arrive. On top of that, the documentation must be absolutely correct for the consignment to be accepted at the port of entry.

Here we cover what happens to your trophies when they leave the hunting camp through to packing and customs clearance in the US and UK.

Trophies Leaving The Hunting Camp
In southern African countries raw trophies are delivered to a local taxidermist for dipping, treating, crating and documentation in accordance with the importing countries regulations.

Alternatively, the trophies may be fully taxidermied in the southern African hunting country.

In southern Africa, delivery or collection to/by a local taxidermist may take place quite quickly following the hunt, rather than waiting to take the whole consignment in at the end of the season.

In more remote hunting regions, all the raw trophies will usually be moved out of the skinning shed at the end of the season via road or air to the nearest big town from which they may be exported.

African Hunting Trophy Export Documentation
In countries where hunting is Government-controlled such as Tanzania, the game scout's documentation of the trophies must sent to the wildlife office and the outfitter then must pay the Government Game Fees. On receipt of this payment the trophies are issued with an ordinary export permit and, if applicable, a CITES export permit.

The export permit has a finite date which must not be exceeded - the trophies must be exported within the time span or another permit will need to be issued.

The trophies must then be inspected by a Government veterinary officer who will issue a veterinary clearance certificate.

Some importing countries will need the African veterinary officer, in addition, to complete a copy of their own veterinary clearance document.
These documents must be then copied to the receiving country's taxidermist or shipping broker.

In addition to the above documents, all game trophies dispatched to or via the European Economic Community, Australia, and Russia must be accompanied by a declaration stating the nature and standard of their preparation. (EEC Regulation 3626/82)

It is extremely important that all export documentation and permits are completed absolutely accurately. If there are any discrepancies at all, the receiving country will refuse entry of the trophy consignment, either ordering it to be re-exported to the country of origin or ordering it's destruction.

There are no allowances made with the importation of animal products - it is very strictly implemented and controlled.

CITES Appendix I trophies must have a CITES Import and Export Permit. The CITES Import Permit must be obtained by the hunter before the hunt and retained as valid until the trophy is imported. As the Import Permit is only valid for 6 months, this may mean it has to be renewed several times before the consignment arrives.

The CITES Import Permit must be issued before the Appendix I animal is hunted so it is confirmed to all parties that the trophy can definitely be imported. This is often a bone of contention amongst some hunters. Some don't bother getting a pre-hunt CITES import permit or official proviso that a full CITES import permit will be issued (UK), believing it will definitely be issued if they apply after the animal is taken. Most African hunting countries need proof that the Appendix I trophy will be accepted for import before the animal is taken and before issuing the CITES export permit. Importing countries are quite at liberty to suddenly place an embargo on any animal products from any species.

The hunting client's CITES Import Permit is not required if the trophy is going to another African country for taxidermy but will be needed when the trophy goes into production and is ready to re-export to the final destination country.

CITES Appendix II and III trophies must have a CITES Export Permit only. This does not involve the hunter and will be issued by the relevant wildlife department in Africa.

A CDC permit is required for import of raw (not taxidermied) baboon trophies into the US

Trophy Packing
Trophy packing is usually out of the control of the hunting client but he is in the position to only employ a taxidermist who is experienced in shipping worldwide and who is up-to-date with the latest international regulations.

As from January 2004, wooden packing crates entering the European Union, the United States of America and Mexico, must meet the standards stipulated in the new International requirements as laid out in ISPM 15 'Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade.'

International trade laws prohibit the use of second-hand timber for crating.

To accommodate this all crates are usually manufactured from Medium Density Fibreboard at an approved facility.

Raw baboon and warthog trophies must be packed separately from the rest of the trophies if going to the US.

Shipping African Trophies
Raw trophies must be air-freighted to their final destination. Shipping by sea may be used for finished taxidermied trophies but can take a long time and is only marginally less expensive.

The trophy consignment must not be shipped until the receiving country has received all the correct documentation and knows which flight the consignment will be arriving on. The port of entry must have at least 72 hours notice so that the veterinary inspection may take place on arrival.

Usually the hunter pays for the shipping when it arrives but in some cases the shipping costs must be transferred to the African country of origin before the trophies depart.

US Customs Clearance Of Hunting Trophies
All shipments of game trophies entering the United States of America must pass inspection by US Fish and Wildlife Service.
This must take place at an approved US Fish and Wildlife Office location.

The freight charge quoted on your trophy invoice is to your nearest US Fish and Wildlife Office location.

This charge does not include customs clearance fees and local charges, which are payable by you.

It is recommended that you employ the services of a customs broker to facilitate clearance with US Customs and US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Use a customs broker/agent in the location of your nearest USFW port of entry and instruct him to clear the trophies through customs and pay the relevant fees.

All fees need to be paid by the hunter prior to on-forwarding from the customs location. Failure to pay fees may result in additional costs.

Fill out an Import Declaration for Wildlife (Form 3-177) at the time of importation. This is not the same as the normal customs declaration. You or your Customs Agent can obtain the information required for this form (e.g. correct scientific species name) from the documentation, which will accompany the shipment.

It is the owner of the goods (the hunter) ultimate responsibility to ensure that the 3-177 is correctly filled out. However, a customs broker/agent can do this on your behalf.

If you have any questions about permits or permit application forms, you should call the Office of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, at (703) 358 2104. They can supply you with copies of the Wildlife Import Declaration Forms (Form 3-177).

Note, if there is a chance you will need to make an insurance claim, do not sign for the goods as being 'received in good order', until you have inspected them.

Jeff,
There is a PDF download available at the PHASA website regarding this issue.
Link here (or see attached to this post):PHASA Downloads - March 3 FMD Animal Health.pdf
On page 4 of the download is contact information for a Dr. Jyotika Rajput of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry,and Fisheries listed as the person to speak with concerning inquiries related to import and export of commodities.
Game animals
Wild carnivores
Hides and skins
Hunting trophies,horns and hooves.

Hope this may be of some help. I would be interested in hearing what you find out.

We receive queries on a daily basis regarding the protocol to be followed and it seems as if there is a lot of confusion regarding the foot and mouth movement control in South Africa. We received a few queries from members in the dipping and packing industry after our newsletter dated 04 April 2011. After consultation with them and State Veterinary, Dr Rajput, State Veterinarian, informed us as follows on the 5th of April:

“Dip and Pack as understood by the trade was not adequate to inactivate the FMD virus. If the recommendations provided by the OIE code (8.5.40 in the attached document) are followed then the FMD virus is adequately inactivated and the products can be exported. It is still advisable to get a letter of no objection from the importing country to prevent consignments from being returned. Regarding products processed in the infected zone permission must be obtained from the KZN Provincial Veterinary Services."

Extract: OIE Code 8.5.40
Procedures for the inactivation of the FMD virus in skins and trophies from wild animals susceptible to the disease.
For the inactivation of viruses present in skins and trophies from wild anim als susceptible to FMD, one of the following procedures should be used prior to complete taxidermal treatment:

1. boiling in water for an appropriate time so as to ensure that any matter other than bone, horns, hooves, claws, antlers or teeth is removed;
2. gamma irradiation at a dose of at least 20 kiloGray at room temperature (20 degrees C or higher);
3. soaking, with agitation, in a 4 percent (w/v) solution of washing soda (sodium carbonate - Na2CO3) maintained at pH 11.5 or above for at least 48 hours;
4. soaking, with agitation, in a formic acid solution (100 kg salt [NaCl] and 12 kg formic acid per 1,000 litres water) maintained at below pH 3.0 for at least 48 hours; wetting and dressing agents may be added;
5. in the case of raw hides, salting for at least 28 days with sea salt containing 2% washing soda (sodium carbonate - Na2CO3).

She further confirmed to one of our members that, if the processing is as mentioned on page 26 of the Foot and Mouth Movement Control Document (access this link), which is the OIE recommendation for the inactivation of the FMD virus, then the trophies can be exported. She once again mentioned that approval needs to be obtained from the KZN Provincial Veterinary Services, especially if they originate from the infected zone.

Trophy Solutions SA has confirmed that the only way to do “Dip and Pack”, is to do it according to the recommendations as set out in the document.

We will keep you informed. Queries regarding the correct protocol can be referred to Dr Rajput’s office, tel 012-319-7540.

Can one of you chaps from Spain explain this thing with "faco"? I have seen numerous references to the desire to shoot many warthogs and at least two PH's have told me about it as well. Why the high level of interest in them? Merely curious. Thanks!

Nyati, Thanks for the explanation! I have only taken two on my hunts, both sets of tusks make SCI and strangely measure out at exactly the same number though taken in two different countries years apart.